MUGIL 435 



3. MUGIL AURATUS. 

 (Plate LXXXI. fig. 2.) 



Pisso, Ichthyol. Nice, p. 344 (1810) ; Bonaparte, Icon. Faun. ItaL, Pesc. (1834) ; Cuvier & 

 Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss. xi. p. 43, pi. cccviii. (1836) ; Lowe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1843, p. 86 ; 

 Ghiichenot, Explor. Alg., Poiss. p. 67 (1850) ; Lowe, Fish. Madeira, p. 163 (1860) : Giinther, 

 Ann. & Mag. N. H. (3) vii. 1861, p. 346, and Cat. Fish. iii. p. 442 (1861) ; Steindachner, 

 Sitzb. Ak. Wien, lxii. i. 1868, p. 682 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii. p. 185 (1881) ; 

 Lilljeborg, Sver.-Norg. Fisk. i. p. 413 (1884); Smitt, Scand. Fish. i. p. 339, fig. (1893); 

 Bonlenger, Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 356 (1901). 



Mugil cryptochiliis, Cuvier & Valenciennes, t. c. p. 61 ; Giinther, Petherick's Trav. ii. p. 213 

 (1869). 



Mugil chelo (non Cuvier), Lowe, Tr. Zool. Soc. ii. 1839, p. 184. 



Mugil maderensls, Lowe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 82, and Tr. Zool. Soc. iii. 1842, p. 8. 



Mugil octoradiatus, Giinther, Ann. & Mag. N. B. (3) vii. 1861, p. 347. 



Mugil octoradiatus , part., Giinther, Oat. p. 437. 



? Mugil saliens (non Risso), Giinther, Petherick's Trav. ii. p. 213. 



Depth of body three and a half to five times in the total length, length of head four 

 to five times. Snout as long as or a little longer than the eye in the adult, shorter 

 in the young ; eye better visible from below than from above in the adult ; a mere 

 rudiment of adipose eyelid ; diameter of the eye four to five times in the length of the 

 head, once and a half to twice and a half in the interorbital width ; nostrils close 

 together ; mouth forming an obtuse angle ; maxillary entirely or almost hidden when 

 the mouth is closed ; upper lip rather narrow, its diameter not exceeding half that of 

 the eye ; prgeorbital with the edge finely serrated ; a lanceolate space between the 

 rami of the lower jaw. First dorsal fin with 4 spines, the first two measuring half 

 to three-fifths the length of the eye ; second dorsal fin with 9 rays, originating above 

 the anterior third of the anal, which is formed of 3 spines and 9 (exceptionally 8) soft 

 rays. Pectoral fin three-fourths to once the length of the head. Ventral fin inserted 

 at equal distance from the eye and from the anal fin. Caudal fin forked, as long as 

 or a little longer than the head. Caudal peduncle once and one-third to twice as long 

 as deep. 40 to 46 scales in a longitudinal series, 13 to 15 in a transverse series ; no 

 free scale above the axil. 



Greyish brown above, silvery white below ; more or less distinct dark streaks along 

 the series of scales ; one or two golden-yellow, bronzy-yellow, or golden-orange spots 

 between the eye and the border of the gill-cover ; a dark red mark may be present 

 in the centre of the golden spot; ventral and anal fins white, the other fins 

 brownish grey. 



Total length up to 400 millimetres. 



8 £ 2 



